Terrorism a collective issue, can be eradicated jointly, says Sanaullah
Pakistan
Terrorism a collective issue, can be eradicated jointly, says Sanaullah
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan while expressing resolve to win the war against the scourge of terrorism at all costs, on Tuesday, said that the political and military leadership was determined to seek guidance from the parliament to defeat terrorism again.
Speaking on a motion on a recent wave of terrorism in the country in the National Assembly, he assured that the political and military leadership under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would take the parliament into confidence over the recent wave of terrorism.
He said the parliament would lay down the policy and the government would adopt it, adding PM Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munner and DG ISI Nadeem Anjum would also come.
The minister said terrorism was a collective issue, which could be rooted out through forging unity and joint efforts, adding that after the Peshawar’s blast, the PM, COAS and the defence minister visited Peshawar.
“The government is pursuing the same policy which was adopted after the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar in 2014 to purge the country’s soil from the menace of terrorism,” he said. He said the entire nation stood behind operation Radd-ul-Fasaad and successfully rooted out the terrorism.
Responding to a point raised by MNA Noor Alam Khan, he said the entire nation was shocked and disturbed over the terrorist incidents. “Irrespective of its occurrence, terrorism incidents shouldn t be categorized with any community or ethnicity,” he asserted. He said the entire nation had the same [heart-wrenching] feelings which was expressed by Noor Alam Khan in his speech.
Dozens of such tragic terrorist incidents occurred in Punjab particularly in Lahore during 2005-06 to 2015-16 in which many police officials ranging from constable to DIG level embraced martyrdom, Sanaullah said.
Recalling the performance of law-enforcing agencies, the minister said terrorists were not only arrested but also many had been killed during intelligence based operations. “The entire nation has also expressed firm resolve against the menace of terrorism,” he said.
Sharing detail of the Peshawar terrorist attack, he said a suicide bomber exploded himself in the mosque which resulted in martyrdom of 100 people, including 97 police officials and three civilians. He expressed the fear that the death toll could rise as 27 out of 216 injured were in critical condition. “The rescue operation has already been completed,” he added.
The minister said Khurasani group, a faction of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed the responsibility for the incident. “Samples of the suspected attacker’s body parts have been sent to the laboratory for forensic test,” he added.
Sanaullah said investigations into the incident were underway. Geo-fencing was being carried out besides examining CCTV footage that how the suicide attacker reached there. The minister said PM Shehbaz would present the findings before the house once the investigation into the tragic incident was completed.
